Six Degraded Urban Areas Transformed into Wildlife Sanctuaries

Typically, urban environments are not recognized as prime locations for wildlife, a perception that wildlife advocates in Derbyshire have sought to alter. The Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has spearheaded a community initiative in Derby, engaging 20 community groups to convert multiple neglected green spaces into environments conducive to nature’s flourishing. This undertaking forms part of the broader Nextdoor Nature project, which secured £5 million in funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, designated for minor enhancements throughout the United Kingdom. Activists and volunteers in Derby have stated that the initiative has not only facilitated the transformation of specific locations but has also empowered residents to influence the natural surroundings within their communities. The initiative has led to the establishment of three ‘green corridor sites’ within Derby, situated at Society Place, Normanton High Street, and Normanton Park. Additionally, three new community gardens and allotments have been developed at Hadhari, Laverstoke Court Asylum Seeker Hostel, and the Derby West Indian Community Association allotment. Support has also been extended to other organizations for the development of their individual nature-focused projects. Joginder Bains, representing the Indian Workers Association, collaborated with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to convert Church Street Park in Normanton into an area for local enjoyment and to modify existing bird feeding habits. She commented: “It’s about education. People were feeding all sorts of food to the birds. Stale bread, pizzas, rice, noodles, everything. It attracted rats.” She added: “If we turn this area around it will help us to tackle climate change and encourage wildlife”. Adam Dosunmu Slater, a Community Organiser for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, stated that the project has involved communities that were previously marginalized from environmental and nature-related decision-making. He remarked: “It brings that community buy-in right from the start. A lot of time top-down projects don’t have community buy-in and don’t have local people at the heart of it,”. He further noted: “It really doesn’t take much. Nature does all the work for us. And it can make a massive difference”. Local resident Ali Malik expressed his admiration for the changes made to a parcel of land adjacent to his residence in Society Place, Normanton. He recounted: “It had become a bit of a hotspot for people that take drugs. People used to dump old mattresses, nappies and unwanted furniture.” Malik added: “My mother uses the area and she absolutely loves it. It’s like her own personal park,”. He concluded: “It just shows you the positive impact you can make by doing positive things”. Connect with BBC Derby on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Submit your story concepts to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or through WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.